New Ipswich: Block grant will help with roads

New Ipswich’s Selectmen have officially accepted $127,554.54 in additional Highway Block grant funding, which will be used for additional paving in town not previously expected to be completed.

The money comes to New Ipswich and other New Hampshire towns after the signing of Senate Bill 38, which allots a total of $30 million throughout the state for infrastructure projects.

“We are trying to get all the main roads done when the cost is lower,” said Selectman Jay Hopkins, of using the money to help pave the entirety of Temple Road.

The board spoke with the Pratt Pond Association, who was requesting that they could still use gravel previously purchased from the town.

Association President Joe Woodworth told the board that they still have 100 yards of gravel left that had been purchased in August of 2013, but concerns have since been raised about whether the association could still access it.

Board chair David Lage said that he doesn’t think the sale should have happened, and that he believes the association only paid for the processing cost. He said he wants to do more research before a decision is made.

Hopkins felt that the previous agreement should be honored, but said the town should not be selling gravel to people in the future, especially given the town’s limited resources.

The board also said they would get back to the association with a rate to grade roads maintained by the association.

Resident Jim Coffey had two comments for the board relative to potential tarnishing of the beauty of the town.

Coffey asked what was being done about a rash of graffiti on signs throughout town and what could be done about certain properties with “excessive motor vehicles” on them.

Lage said he spoke with the DPW Director about the matter, and found out that some signs had been replaced already and painted again.

Coffey said it was an “easy” problem to solve, suggesting putting up a $1,000 reward to catch the person doing it.

The board also discussed using some of the addition highway block grant revenue to replace the signs, but not motions were made.

Regarding the excess cars, the board told Coffey to tell Town Administrator Joanne Meshna what properties he was concerned about, and that the board would review them.

The board reviewed an RFP for foundation work to the old town hall, deciding to have a site review of the property on Aug. 17 at 6 p.m.

Lage said he would think a new RFP written to better define the work after the site visit would be best. Lage said he was concerned about the description of the site repair.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart presented a certificate of appreciation to the town for declaring itself a Purple Heart town.

It has been said that New Ipswich is the first town in the state of New Hampshire to become a Purple Heart town, meaning it becomes a part of the Purple Heart Trail, a series of roads, bridges, highways, and other monuments and trails to honor those who have been awarded the Purple Heart.

Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.